Retro Replay Review

Gameplay

The Classroom delivers a tense and addictive stealth-puzzle experience by framing each level as Alex’s desperate attempt to cheat on his final tests. Played from a top-down perspective, players guide Alex (the blue dot) around a grid-like classroom while avoiding the teacher’s red dot and sneaking close to the geek (the yellow dot) to fill the cheat bar. The simple color-coded dots belie the surprising strategic depth: timing your movements to slip into the teacher’s blind spot becomes crucial as each day’s test grows more difficult.

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Controls are straightforward—use the keyboard to move Alex, and click the left mouse button to activate the cheating sequence when you’re adjacent to the geek. This ease of control allows the player to focus entirely on planning each move and monitoring sightlines. As the levels progress, the teacher’s green arc of vision expands and shifts unpredictably, requiring you to memorize patterns and anticipate movement to avoid detection.

Between levels, the increasing complexity of desk arrangements and additional student distractions keep gameplay fresh. Some desks block the teacher’s view, creating safe zones you can exploit, while scattered green dots (other students) can block your line of sight or unexpectedly jostle you when they pass by. This blend of environmental puzzle-solving and stealth mechanics strikes a satisfying balance that will have you feverishly replaying levels to shave seconds off your completion time.

Graphics

The Classroom adopts a minimalist aesthetic, representing all characters and obstacles as colored dots on a clean, flat plane. While it may initially strike some as overly simplistic, this design choice ensures absolute clarity in understanding each entity’s position and line of sight. The teacher’s red dot and its sweeping green arc are immediately distinguishable, preventing any confusion during tense stealth maneuvers.

Color plays a crucial role in guiding the player’s eye. Alex’s bright blue dot contrasts sharply against the muted classroom background, while the geek’s yellow marker stands out as both an ally and an objective. The absence of detailed textures or character sprites may disappoint those seeking visual flair, but it also streamlines the experience, letting players concentrate on timing, positioning, and strategy rather than fancy graphics.

Classroom layouts remain visually consistent throughout the game, with slight variations in desk arrangements and floor color. Although the environments don’t change drastically, subtle shifts in hue and lighting between levels help maintain visual interest without distracting from the core gameplay. The result is a polished and cohesive presentation that complements the stealth-puzzle mechanics rather than overshadowing them.

Story

At its heart, The Classroom revolves around Alex’s looming final exams and his wavering motivation to study. In a story told almost entirely through gameplay, you witness the pressures of academic performance and the temptation to take shortcuts. Alex’s decision to rely on the class geek injects a touch of humor and schoolyard camaraderie into every level, making each completed test feel like a small victory against authority.

While there’s no elaborate cutscene or dialogue to drive the narrative forward, the premise remains clear: ten days, ten tests, and one blue dot desperate to stay ahead of the teacher’s gaze. This minimalistic approach to storytelling keeps pacing brisk, ensuring there’s no downtime between tests. The simplicity suits the game’s structure and supports the primary focus—stealth and timing.

Despite its brevity, The Classroom’s narrative framework effectively builds tension. Each new day raises the stakes as the cheating bar fills more slowly and the teacher’s arc of vision widens. You feel Alex’s mounting anxiety with every near-miss, and the sense of relief upon successfully returning to your desk is a subtle narrative payoff that keeps you engaged throughout the ten-day stretch.

Overall Experience

The Classroom offers an engaging blend of stealth, puzzle-solving, and time-sensitive challenges that can be enjoyed in short bursts or longer play sessions. Its minimalist visuals and straightforward controls make it accessible to players of all skill levels, while the escalating difficulty guarantees that veterans of stealth games will find a worthy test of their patience and planning abilities.

Replayability is high due to the satisfaction of perfecting each level. Attempting to complete tests without a single detection or racing against the clock to achieve the fastest completion time adds layers of challenge beyond merely progressing through the ten days. Leaderboards or time trials would enhance this further, but the core game loop is compelling on its own.

While some may crave a deeper narrative or more varied environments, The Classroom excels at what it sets out to do: provide a tense, minimalist stealth puzzler set in an all-too-familiar academic setting. For anyone looking for a cleverly designed indie title that tests your reflexes, observation skills, and strategic thinking, Alex’s last ten days of school are well worth experiencing.

Retro Replay Score

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